


Reflections

by Hazmat_Fiction



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:53:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26012179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hazmat_Fiction/pseuds/Hazmat_Fiction
Summary: With Salem defeated, Ruby and Jaune both felt a little lost. Complete was their goal of saving the world, the day was saved. Most of their friends took the victory for what it was. They each found the long-awaited respite as a chance to think back and take stock of what was truly important.
Relationships: Jaune Arc/Ruby Rose
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	1. Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaune wasn't expecting to get a cryptic text so early in the morning. Ruby wasn't planning to send said message. Neither of them saw what happened on the cliffside coming.

**This story is a port from my fanfiction.net profile. I wanted to join all the fics in my _Reflections_ storyline together into one, but didn't want to cause all the hassle on that site of making new copies of each fic. Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

Jaune approached the cottage as if he was part of the bomb squad, and the place was rigged to blow. He'd only met Ruby's dad once or twice - never enough to get to know the man. But if he was anything like Yang, his overprotectiveness probably bordered on homicidal. Chances were, he would be a little suspicious of a guy turning up to see his daughter unannounced. Seriously, why couldn't he have thought to call ahead?

He glanced down at his scroll, quickly re-reading the message he had received from the girl at three o'clock that morning.

_Jaune, I need to talk to you about something. It's important, and pretty time-sensitive, so the sooner you can meet me, the better. I'll be at my dad's place on Patch for the next few weeks._

That had him pretty confused for several reasons. It had been a minute since Jaune and Ruby had seen each other, but this seemed like more than a quick cup of coffee to catch up with an old friend. Also, her use of proper grammar had his head spinning. Ruby didn't even _speak_ in grammatically correct sentences, let alone text with them. His replies, asking if everything was all right, were met with the same level of vague detail.

If movies had taught him anything, it was that a close friend suddenly going all cryptic and texting in the middle of the night was never a good sign. The fact that he was now stood in front of her house, _still_ having no clue what he was doing there, didn't make him feel any better about the situation. For all he knew, Ruby could have been luring him out here to the middle of nowhere to tie him up and do wildly inappropriate things to his body.

Part of him wouldn't have minded... _No! Bad body!_

There was also the matter of meeting Ruby's father - which was all but guaranteed, at this point, considering they were meeting at his house. Despite all of his confidence, Jaune had never been successful enough with girls to experience the whole 'getting threatened by dad' thing. Good lord, how sad was _that_? He was twenty and had never even been on a date. But this wasn't that, was it? Jaune wasn't some kid looking to ask Ruby out. He was her best friend, worried by a mysterious message he'd received with little to no extra details.

Washed away were his muddled and confused thoughts as he approached the front porch steps. Without warning, the door opened and out bounced a somewhat familiar ball of fur. Zwei barked and sniffed his leg, tail wagging like it was about to fly off. He likely didn't remember who he was but greeted him all the same.

"Hey, boy," Jaune said as he reached to pat the dog's head.

"Can I help you?" His hand snapped back with a yelp when he heard the voice. To say Taiyang Xiao Long was an intimidating man was like saying Vacuo was warm. Meaning it was the understatement of the century! Yang clearly took after him more than Ruby did, with his slightly graying blond hair and broad shoulders. The man had muscles on his muscles that made Jaune think about his own toned body with shame. He also had that same look in his eye that Yang did, the one where you couldn't tell if he wanted to hug you or bludgeon you to death with his fists.

"Uh… well, I'm actually looking for Ruby," Jaune stammered. "I'm Jaune Arc, I'm a friend of hers."

Taiyang's eyes narrowed for a second, then widened again in realization. "Oh yeah, I remember you. Vomit Boy, right? Yeah, Ruby's told me quite a bit about you."

Jaune let out a nervous laugh and cringed at the mention of his old, embarrassing nickname, courtesy of the girl in question. "Nothing too bad, I hope?"

The father shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, she actually speaks pretty highly of you. Says you helped her through a lot of hard times."

Seeing that the conversation wasn't leading to his violent demise, Jaune relaxed a bit. Just a bit, though. Taiyang could still probably kill him in forty different ways with a freaking napkin.

"Afraid she's not here right now, though. She went into town with her sister a couple of hours ago," he went on. "Your welcome to come in and wait for her if you want. She should be back any minute now."

He then led Jaune inside the quaint little house. It was a cute place, very cozy. He could just imagine Yang and Ruby growing up in it, with their parents. No wonder they loved their home so much. It reminded him of his own house, in Ansel, though, due to the sheer size of the Arc brood, that one was a tad larger.

"Make yourself at home, Jaune, I'll be right back," Mister Xiao Long called as he walked out of sight.

Stepping into the den, he was taken aback by all of the photos that lined the walls, shelves, and mantle. Nearly every one of them depicted Yang or Ruby at various ages. One, in particular, caught Jaune's eye; it sat right in the center of all the others, up above the fireplace. He recognized Taiyang, the girls, as well as Qrow, off to the side, but there was a woman he didn't know. She was the spitting image of Ruby, down to the exact spots where her hair faded from black to red and was showing off a smile so similar, the two could have been twins. The woman was clutching the two young girls like they were stuffed animals she'd won at a carnival. On each of their faces was what looked like a shriek of joy. This was probably Ruby's mom. Neither she nor Yang talked about her very much, and he had a feeling he knew why.

"Summer," said Taiyang, emerging from the kitchen with a tea kettle and two mugs. "My wife and Ruby's mother."

"Yeah, I thought so," Jaune nodded. "She and Ruby look a lot alike, even in this photo. Their eyes, especially." Silver, he understood how significant that was. It meant that she was dangerous to Grimm - and, more importantly, Salem. And, now that he thought about it, it might have even been the reason she died.

The older man sighed as he sat down on the couch and placed the tea on the coffee table. "That they do. I'm fairly certain that the two could pass for one another now." It probably would've been incredibly difficult to distinguish them based on appearance alone. The only difference he could see was their preferred color scheme; Ruby's being red to Summer's, white.

A second picture passed through Jaune's vision as he went to sit down. It was quite old, he figured, based on the much younger Taiyang and Qrow he saw. Along with them were Summer and Yang's mother, Raven. He was reminded of something he'd heard Ruby say once.

"You were on a team at Beacon, weren't you?"

Taiyang smiled and looked at the photograph. "Yep, team STRQ. Coolest team to come out of that school. Or so Qrow would say."

"Ruby once said you, Qrow, and her mom were part of the reason she became a huntress." Jaune took the steaming teacup he was offered. He'd never been much for leaf-water, but he didn't want to offend the scary, bodybuilder-looking man sitting across from him. "She must really look up to you all."

"Rubes grew up hearing stories about all the adventures we went on as fresh-faced hunters." He gazed off into space, nostalgia taking over. "That, along with all the comic books and cartoons, kind of romanticized the job a bit, I think." Taiyang paused and stared down into his tea. A look akin to regret fell over him as he took a sip. "Personally, I think it was Summer's death that was the last nail in the coffin - so to speak."

"How's that?"

"We always taught the girls to do the right thing and to help people. Well, _Summer_ did most of the teaching; I was too busy running around, doting on them to pass on too many life lessons." He and Jaune shared a quiet chuckle. "Anyway, so when Summer went out on a mission and didn't come home, it crushed all of us. I kinda just... check out of reality for about a year and left Yang to take care of Ruby."

Jaune almost said he understood but thought it better to bite his tongue while Taiyang was speaking. And really, he had no earthly idea what the family had gone through, losing Summer as they did. His father was a huntsman, sure, but he'd never once come close to death as far as Jaune could recall. Though he had a feeling if Nicholas ever did meet his demise out on a mission, the Arc family would end up just as bad, if not worse than Ruby's.

He sipped his tea as Taiyang continued. "Ruby was only four. Growing up without a mother was hard for her, to say the least. I think that she wanted to become a huntress so that she could protect people and make sure no one has to go through what we did."

That made a lot of sense, actually. Back when he first met her at Beacon, Ruby was younger than everyone else in their year. Despite that, she was just as skilled and driven, if not more so than them all. Everything she ever did was to protect someone else, even if it could mean her death. She was committed to helping others. Hell, she'd become Jaune's best friend on day one, and had helped him get through the terrors of school.

When they were facing down Salem, a seemingly invincible foe, Ruby had stood firm and defended those she loved and also those she didn't even know. She faced the witch alone at the very end and came out victorious, against all the odds.

"That has to be exhausting, doesn't it?" Jaune said. "Always worrying about others and never caring about yourself?"

Taiyang nodded. "I'm pretty sure it is, but it's how she's chosen to live. Ruby wanted to be a hero," he glanced out the window into the distance, "and she's willing to do whatever it takes to live that dream."

Jaune nodded at that. He'd watched Ruby all through the years he'd known her, and never once doubted her willpower. She was precisely the kind of person he'd hoped to become when he snuck into Beacon.

"She really is something," he whispered, failing to note how Taiyang's sharp eyes narrowed upon hearing it.

"Just what was it that brought you all the way out here, Jaune?"

Jaune didn't miss the suspicion in his voice and cursed the way he audibly gulped at it. "Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure." He paled as the older huntsman leaned forward, menacingly. He quickly stammered, "I-I got a weird text from Ruby last night, so I came to see if she was okay."

Jaune held up his scroll, giving Taiyang a view of the message for himself. Taking it, he read in silence for an agonizingly long few seconds. It probably didn't help his case to reveal that the man's youngest daughter had been texting a strange guy at three in the morning. Though, if it kept him from dyeing his carpet a lovely new shade of crimson using Jaune's cadaver, by all means, he would try every option he had at his disposal.

"I don't know what to think about this," Taiyang said finally. "Not sure I like a guy I don't know showing up unannounced, but so long as Ruby invited you here, I suppose you're welcome."

Jaune let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, wincing when he heard the man chuckle at his palpable terror. Well, at least _someone_ was getting some level of enjoyment out of this absolutely pleasant exchange.

_Gods, I hope Ruby gets here soon,_ he thought. Then, confused, he saw Taiyang's eyebrow go up.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Yep."

Damn it.

* * *

Ruby breathed in the fresh, autumn air as she strolled down the dirt road, which led to her dad's house. She could have hitched a ride or hired a cab, but she always preferred to take things slower when she was at home, on Patch. It was her favorite time of year. The trees were all changed to various shades of gold, red, and brown. The last of the little woodland critters were out foraging for nuts or berries that were leftover from the summer.

It was the kind of thing she never saw in the city. They had trees, sure, but it wasn't the same feeling that she got when she was out in the woods, just her and mother nature. It also afforded her precious time to think.

She'd been doing that a lot lately - thinking. The more she thought, the more she realized how much more there was to think about, until eventually, her brain became a pile of mush, sloshing around in her head. Weiss would have been proud to hear some of her inner debates. For example, the ethical repercussions on giving huntsmen and huntresses virtually no structured rules or tenets.

Of course, her partner would then promptly suffer an aneurysm when she discovered that was a prelude to Ruby considering going a mad spree of heists, stealing every cookie from every bakery across all of Remnant.

What could she say? Her brain had a mind of its own.

As gravel crunched under her feet, Ruby's thoughts wandered to the message she'd sent earlier that day. Could she have handled that better? Maybe. Was she nervous about talking to Jaune? Definitely.

These kinds of emotions that raced through her head couldn't be ignored, though. She was a huntress, and to her, that meant facing problems head-on. Life was too short to pussyfoot around and miss out on opportunities. Once again, Ruby decided it was worth taking a chance to tell Jaune how she felt.

Although did she even know how that was? She'd been through more than most, but she was still young. Was eighteen too early to tell if she really was in love? Was this love, or was it merely lust? She'd heard dad say that, when he was her age, it was impossible to distinguish between the two.

Only adding to her doubt, would Jaune even reciprocate? She'd known him for years, but not once had he shown any sort of romantic interest in her. Then again, neither had she. Sure, there had been the occasional misty-eyed moment or extended hug. Still, she always assumed it was due to them being such close friends. Then there was Pyrrha, with her confessing her feelings to Jaune literally minutes before her death, it seemed he would never love again.

But was that really love either? Jaune had never noticed Pyrrha's advances before the end. Could he develop those kinds of feelings for her postmortem? Maybe, but perhaps not. Jaune had always held incredibly intense feelings of responsibility regarding his team. Perhaps he felt guilty after losing her. Then again, there was the possibility that he did love her. If so, Ruby confessing herself would put him in an awkward position and drudge up some old and unpleasant memories.

"Oh well," she said. "Really only one way to find out." If there was even a chance that Jaune felt the same as she, it was worth the risk to try.

A few moments later, she arrived home. It was odd, how when she was younger, she couldn't wait to leave and start her own life. She wanted to be a huntress, save the world, and leave her humble beginnings behind her forever. Now though, now that she'd had that chance, she appreciated the little cottage for what it was and all it represented. It was the place she'd grown up. Where she and Yang had spent years exploring the surrounding forests. Coming home late in the evening to be greeted by dad's fantastic cooking for dinner. Followed by a warm hug and a bedtime story from mom. When she'd gotten a little older, uncle Qrow had trained her in his own weapon of choice, the two of them becoming a pair of badass scythe-wielding hunters.

Ruby smiled as her childhood pet bounced up to her. Even as she had gotten older, Zwei had too. The corgi certainly wasn't as spry as he once was, which was both a blessing and saddening. On the one hand, it meant he could get into quite as much mischief as he had when he was a puppy. On the other, Zwei was showing his age, and couldn't keep up the same level of stamina that he used to. Thus he wasn't as quick and playful as he had been years ago.

"What's up, furball?" Ruby asked as she picked the squirming dog up. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" As if to answer her question, Zwei looked from her to the door and barked. Still as smart as ever.

She hadn't received anything in the way of response from Jaune since that morning when she'd sent the message, but, with any luck, he'd maybe made an appearance. Hoping beyond all hope he was in there, waiting for her, yet at the same time dreading the thought, Ruby cautiously made her way up the porch steps, corgi in hand.

Timidly, she entered through the front door and called out her usual greeting to her father. "I'm back, dad!" Closing the door behind her, she faced the den, and in it, was one familiar blonde, and another more familiar blonde.

"Hey, Rubes, we were just talking about you," her dad said with a welcoming smile. "Where's your sister? Don't tell me she abandoned you in town again?"

Ruby laughed, recalling the incident which he was thinking of. That first time she'd encountered Roman Torchwick. The night that jumpstarted her career as a huntress. The night that led her to meet the young man fidgeting on the couch.

_Help me!_ his eyes seemed to plead, a pained look on his face.

Again, she chuckled. "No, not exactly," she said, answering Taiyang. "She and Blake are gonna catch a movie in town. I didn't really wanna come with, and I felt like walking home anyway." He seemed to accept that, as he nodded and hummed.

Ruby then turned her attention to Jaune, who was subtly leaning away from her dad. However, if she could notice it, she doubted the twenty-plus year huntsman didn't. "Hey, Jaune, it's good to see you." She smiled.

He seemed to relax a little bit at her greeting and returned the expression. "Hi, Ruby, I-uh... got your message." He waved his scroll to emphasize. "Sorry for not calling ahead."

Her heart started to beat a little faster, and she avoided making eye contact. "No, it's fine," she laughed nervously, scratching the back of her neck. "Honestly, it was probably pretty stupid of me to try and get ahold of you so late at night."

A somewhat awkward silence permeated the room as both of them fell into their shared conversational tactic of _smile and avoid eye-contact. Maybe they'll be the ones to continue the engagement more naturally_. Of course, since they were attempting to use it, it caused the dialogue to stagnate even further than if they were talking to anyone else. Ruby scrambled for some means of finding a subject of discussion that didn't involve her tried and true method of whipping out Crescent Rose and screaming, "LOOK AT MY BABY!"

_Jaune-dot-exe_ appeared to have stopped responding. Merely trying to keep from bursting into a nervous breakdown, and maintaining his goal of avoiding her father's gaze.

Speaking of which, dad was now in possession of a bowl of popcorn that seemed to have materialized out of thin air. From which he and Zwei were happily munching away, clearly enjoying the show unfolding before them. _Seriously, this must be better than daytime television._

_C'mon, say something!_ she demanded of herself. Luckily, though, right as she was opening her mouth, Jaune swooped in to save the day.

"S-so, you wanted to talk to me?" he asked.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. Thank the gods for him getting straight to the point. "Yeah, I did. But... umm..." She glanced over to Taiyang, who rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Fiiiine," he groaned. "The old fart will now get out of the kids' hair."

Ruby reached out, motioning that it was okay for him to stay. "No, you're fine, dad. Actually, I was hoping we could go for a quick walk? The woods around here are really pretty this time of year, and I figure we can talk out there."

Jaune blinked. "Oh, uh... sure! Why not? I-I mean..." he looked nervously at her dad. "If that's okay with you?"

Taiyang waved dismissively. "Far be it from me to stand in the way of young love."

"DAD!"

"I'm kidding. Of course, it's fine. Go, have fun on your... _walk_ ," he ended with a chuckle.

"Ugh!" One of Ruby's hands impacted with her forehead. The other grabbed hold of Jaune's sleeve, yanking him off the couch and toward the door. "Come on.

* * *

The pair of them stepped through the red forest in silence for a few minutes. Jaune was content to simply follow her lead. She was just fine with that. Ruby had actually planned a destination for their little hike. And she was hoping to postpone what she had to say until they got there.

Eventually, though, Jaune did speak up, interrupting the monotonous crunch of leaves underfoot. "Again, I'm sorry I didn't call ahead," he said. "Looking back, it was a big mistake; your dad was more than a little suspicious of me just showing up out of nowhere."

Ruby sighed lightly. "It's fine. You're fine, and, yeah, dad _does_ tend to be a little wary of strangers. It's all those years of being a huntsman; you can't just forget instincts."

"He seemed so friendly when at first, then he just flipped." Jaune stepped up and kept pace at her side, rather than slightly behind. "Got all dark and scary and interrogate-y."

A light giggle escaped Ruby. "That's just dad. He makes you think he's your pal, and that's when he pounces!" She emphasized with a clawing motion of her hands. Images from her childhood popped back up. Like the time she and Yang had gotten caught mixing some of Taiyang's surplus dust into Zwei's kibble. He'd shown mock understanding and even a little amusement at their excuse of turning him into a super dog. Then, when they were all laughing, and she thought they were home free... _wham_! There came the lecture of a lifetime.

"If _that's_ how he treats unexpected guests," Jaune shuddered. "I'd hate to see what happens to people he has a genuine problem with."

"Yeah, I get you. I've never actually met anyone like that so, I have no idea."

No idea whether they were still among the living, she didn't feel needed to be included. Ruby didn't want to imagine her dad killing someone, but he was a professional huntsman for a few years before he settled down to raise her and Yang. He might have been like uncle Qrow, once upon a time.

She and Jaune slipped back into their quiet trek through the woods. Though the silence between them was less awkward than it had been earlier. More a comfortable break from conversation than anything else.

They were nearing the spot Ruby had chosen to make her confession anyway. So it seemed natural that the chit-chat would fall off, giving way to a more meaning full - and, hopefully, productive - talk.

Eventually, the trees became less thick, opening up to a modest clearing on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. It was a place that Ruby held incredibly sacred and where she went to feel closest to her mother. It was the location of her grave marker, even though Summer was killed far away, her body never recovered.

Why Ruby had chosen such a place, she didn't rightly know. Many others would have found a memorial site somewhat macabre. She, however, never felt that way. Perhaps she'd brought Jaune here because it was where she thought she could genuinely open up and be herself. Ironically, where no one else could see her.

Maybe it was the beautiful vista that lay before them. The sun was just beginning to set, making light play off the horizon in mesmerizing shades of red, orange, and pink. There was only the faintest smattering of clouds in the sky, appearing like giant balls of painted cotton.

With a deep breath, Ruby strolled across the grassy clearing, to the stone tablet set in her mother's honor. How many memories did she have of this place? Days and nights spent sitting at the plaque, pouring out her worries, dreams, and thoughts for her mom, whom she hoped was listening.

This was the first time in a long while she'd come with someone else in tow.

"Wow..." Jaune marveled at the sight as he took in their surroundings. Ruby smiled. It was good he approved of the place; she did too. "I never had any kind of view like this where I grew up."

"Yeah," she sighed, looking out over the ocean with him. "I guess I was lucky in that case."

Jaune glanced down to the slab at their feet and read aloud, "Summer Rose... Your mom."

Ruby nodded, her smile dipping, but not fading away entirely.

"You must miss her, huh?" he said.

He must have realized what he said as he said it, because his eyes widened considerably a second later. "Oh god, I'm so sorry! That was so stupid of me!"

"It's fine," Ruby whispered, touching his arm. "And, yeah, I do think about her a lot, but I'm not going to burst into tears the second you mention her."

"I get that," Jaune conceded. "Still a little insensitive of me to bring her up."

"I don't like to talk about a lot of things," she said, sitting down on the grass and pulling her knees up to her chest. "How cookies make you fat, stricter weapon laws, anything Qrow says when he drinks." She shuddered at that last one. "But my mom is never something I won't enjoy talking about."

He hummed in understanding as his rear impacted with the soil.

"She's the main reason I became a huntress, you know?"

Jaune nodded. "Your dad mentioned it."

"I lost her when I was just a kid, too young to remember. Nobody knows how she died, whether it was Grimm, bandits, a Bullhead crash, or even Salem." She stared out at the horizon, silver eyes becoming sharp. "I don't want that to happen again. To me or anyone else."

"Much as I hate it, Ruby," he said, "saving everyone is a little more than difficult."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm naïve, Jaune, not stupid. I know that. But if I can stop one person from dying too early, or make sure one mother makes it home to her family, then this will all be worth it. That's what mom taught me."

That was her story, and she was sticking to it. Too many people walked out the door of their homes in the morning and never came back. Growing up without a parent, sibling, friend, whatever, it was more painful than any wound any weapon could inflict. Ruby didn't want to save everyone - well, she _did_ , but she knew that was impossible. She just wanted to leave the world in a better way than when she came into it.

"But she taught me one other thing, too."

Jaune looked at her inquisitively. "What's that?"

"She had things she wanted to do. Things that didn't have anything to do with being a huntress." She turned to look into his eyes. "Dad told me she wanted to see us grow up, even when Yang was in diapers, she talked about growing old and having grandkids. She wanted to retire eventually, live out the rest of her days with him here on Patch." Ruby quickly wiped away a tear that formed in her eye. "She had dreams, Jaune. Dreams she'll never see come true now."

"Ruby, I-"

"I'm just like her," she continued, more droplets welling up and dropping down her cheeks. "In every way, we're exactly the same. And one of these days, I'm not gonna come home either, and there'll be things I haven't done yet."

"I don't want to end up like that, Jaune," she said quietly. "I don't want to die tomorrow, knowing I didn't say what I should have said today."

Ruby stood sharply, grabbing ahold of his hands on the way up and dragging him to his feet with her. Without missing a beat, she wrapped her arms around his chest and pulled him in. He was quite a bit taller than her, so his chin nearly rested on the crown of her head, but she didn't care. She'd waited too long for this. It was now or never.

"I want to go out, knowing that I did everything I could to make my dreams come true."

Jaune's heart was racing. Ruby felt it thump through his chest. Her cheeks reddened as she struggled to muster up the words.

"Ruby… what are you saying?" his voice was shaky, much like her own. It seemed he too was having trouble wrapping his head around it all.

_I'm saying, I love you, Jaune._

It sounded so simple in her head. So concise and clear. Ruby wanted nothing more than to scream it at the top of her lungs. But when she looked into those big, sparkling, blue eyes, her throat went dry, and she lost all control of her voice.

_Say it. Just open your mouth and say it_ , she shouted at herself. _He's never gonna know unless you tell him._

"I-I…" her breasts rose and fell rapidly as her breathing sped up. He was looking down at her with an expression that mirrored her own. Pure confusion and anxiety collided in a storm of frenzied emotions between the two of them. "I can't-"

_…I can't say it._

Fine. She couldn't get the words out to get her point across - she'd never been good with them anyway. Ruby steeled herself. Action spoke louder than words, and what she was preparing to do was like screaming into a megaphone.

"You can't what?" Jaune's eyes widened as Ruby's hands locked behind his head and she pulled his face toward her.

The instant her lips touched his, she felt like the entire world had drifted away. No sound reached her ears except for the pounding of her own heart. Her nerve endings seemed as though they were on fire. With her eyes clamped shut, she wanted nothing more than to simply melt into his embrace. Which proved even more straightforward than she expected as she felt Jaune's arms wrapping around her back.

Their mouths never parted for minutes, he squeezed her into his chest. Breath escaped her, though she could care less. She was kissing the man she loved more than anything in the world. Ruby hugged right back, pulling them closer to one another. She felt his heart thumping like a drum against her breasts; he was just as nervous as her, if not, more so.

She let out a silent gasp and flinched when she felt his tongue slip past her lips. It was an odd sensation, although not wholly unpleasant. The writhing tendril weaved its way through her teeth and clashed against her own. She interpreted this as a challenge and took action in turn. It was a war within the two's joined mouths, each fighting for dominance and yielding to the other at the same time.

Eventually, Ruby's legs failed her. Whether it was the absolute thrill of the moment, or Jaune's weight bearing down on her - _gods_ , he'd really bulked up since being that lanky teen at Beacon - she neither knew nor cared. At once, she was overcome with a sense of weakness and fell backward. With a gasp, the wonderous kiss was finally broken, and her back hit the grass. Jaune was quick to follow her, however, landing on his knees, straddling her.

"Wow," she whispered, staring up, past his shaggy mane of blond hair into his deep, azure eyes. She could see herself in the reflection and inwardly cursed. She was wide-eyed and grinning like an idiot.

Though, who could blame her?

"Wow," Jaune parroted with a nod. His expression pretty much matched hers, although his smile grew about four sizes larger when she wrapped her hands behind his neck.

He was already moving before she pulled him in for another round.

As he went about reviving the intense kiss, Ruby's mind was racing about a mile a minute. How in the world did she get here? Locking lips with the man who was her very first friend at Beacon. Back then, he'd been just as awkward as she was. If someone had told her _this_ was where they'd end up, she would have called them crazy and waved them off.

"What the hell are we doing?" she asked, breathing heavily. Jaune's forehead was pressed against her own, and she felt his hot, frantic breath wafting out.

"I'm not sure," he whispered, shaking his head, "but I think I… I don't know what I think."

Her heart sank a little in her chest.

"I think I love you, Ruby."

Ruby's gasped the words drifted across her ears. She'd already been thinking it, she'd thought those very words about him for years with knowing it, but she never heard them said. Just hearing Jaune utter those three simple words, it was enough to nearly bring tears to her eyes. "I love you, Jaune," she laughed. She kissed him again as she rolled them over, positioning herself on top of him. "I've never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I love you."

Neither was sure of just how long they went on, tangled up in each other's embrace. But the kiss lasted until the shattered moon hung high in the sky, and the crickets sang the song of the night.

The last thing Ruby remembered was curling up next to Jaune, the two of them leaned up against a tree. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She sighed and melted into his warm torso, savoring the way his heartbeat against her ear.

With a yawn, she closed her eyes and whispered, "G'night, Vomit Boy."

As sleep took her, she felt him chuckle. "Goodnight… Crater-Face."


	2. Let Go - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaune and Ruby's newfound love was difficult to accept at first. But once it took hold, it really had them. Now, with their entire future ahead of them, a choice must be made. Time to let go of uncertainty.

In his younger years, Jaune Arc had fantasized about what it would be like to have a girlfriend. He dreamed about asking someone out to dinner or a movie and her saying yes. He would hold her hand as they walked down the street, pay for the meal, and with any luck, get a goodnight kiss for his efforts. Then, after a few more dates like that, the two of them would decide that they were going steady and would fall in love. Over the years, they would grow closer and closer, and eventually, get married and have a few kids.

He'd go off to Beacon, and train to be a huntsman. Then, when he'd amassed a name for himself as a hero, Jaune Arc would retire. Live out the remainder of his days with his wife, telling stories of his adventures to his many grandchildren.

However, it seemed the universe, in its infinite wisdom, had other plans for how his life would turn out. Back home in Ansel, the number of girls who gave him the time of day was next to none - not through a lack of effort on his part, either. Of those few, only one had deigned to provide him with her scroll number. Taking his dad's advice, Jaune had shown her his confidence by confessing feelings of true love to the young girl immediately.

For some reason, she never called him back.

That hadn't done much in the way of boosting his self-esteem. So, from ages fourteen to seventeen, Jaune Arc had been single and looking to mingle.

Then out of absolutely nowhere, his old partner, Pyrrha Nikos, had confessed her own love to him. If she had done that at any other time, he'd have been stuttering and tripping over his own feet. The notion that a girl like her could have those kinds of feelings for him, it was almost unbelievable. But she hadn't professed to him because she wanted to ask him out. No, Pyrrha wanted him to know her thoughts about him before she died.

When his partner and friend was murdered, just after telling him something like that, Jaune was devastated. He'd closed himself off for years because of it. For a while, he felt as though he'd never love again.

Instead, he found a task to busy himself with, saving the world. Yep, looked like at least _one_ of those childhood dreams was coming true. Alongside his best friend and his remaining teammates, Jaune went on a quest to stop an ancient demon-witch-lady-person. After all that noise, though, he still had his heart locked away. He never even considered looking for companionship in that way.

Which was precisely why he was pulling out his date's chair for her to sit down, right?

Yeah, so apparently, all it took was a cryptic message, a heartfelt confession of the fear of mortality, and an evening of making out to turn Jaune Arc, the lonely hermit into Jaune Arc, the ecstatic new boyfriend. Such was the tactic that Ruby Rose had used. That was also what was needed for him to see her in his mind as not Ruby, the adorable best friend, but Ruby, the smoking hot, silver-eyed beauty.

What a turn things had taken, eh?

"Wow," Ruby whistled, looking around at the restaurant he'd brought them to. "Gotta say, I wasn't expecting _this_."

Jaune glanced about, following her gaze. It was a pretty ritzy joint - far more elegant than anywhere he'd ever been. There were fancy paintings of rivers and lakes hanging from the walls, a weird-looking water feature right by the entrance, and all the wait staff wore slacks and waistcoats. He had chosen the venue based on a recommendation from his mother of all people. Which, in hindsight, probably should've been his first tipoff that it wasn't the ideal place for a first date. So, he'd waited, and used it for the setting of his and Ruby's _third_ date.

Then again, he had also heard Weiss mention it once, citing it as one of the cheaper options for fine dining in Vale. Mainly, it was for people who wanted a taste of upper class living without having to pay more than their mortgage for the food. Even still, it had set Jaune back more than a little just to get a table.

"Too much?" Jaune winced as he turned back to face Ruby. "I knew this was a bad idea."

Her eyes widened. "No, no, no," she held up a hand. "It's great, I just didn't think you meant _this_ when you told me to dress up. Glad I didn't go too casual."

_So am I_ , Jaune thought, albeit for different reasons.

He looked over her attire for what must have been the fiftieth time that night. Ruby was drop-dead gorgeous already, but tonight she really had pulled out all the stops - Jaune imagined he may have had Yang to thank for that, but then again, neither of them had revealed their relationship with anyone yet. She was dressed in a dress of deep red, the skirt flowing down and stopping towards her lower thigh. He wouldn't have expected a plunging neckline, but lo and behold, there was one, offering him a slight view of her modest cleavage.

Ruby's usual loose hairstyle had been abandoned in exchange for a bun, putting her stunning sliver eyes and a bright smile on full display. She'd even opted for heels instead of flats for shoes. Ruby Rose, in _heels_!

Just from looking at her, Jaune felt his cheeks heat up. "You look amazing," he whispered. Never had there been a more enormous understatement.

She smiled, a small chuckle slipping from her lips. "That's the tenth time you've said that tonight, Jaune."

"And it just keeps getting truer every time."

Ruby laughed at the terrible attempt at being smooth. "Well, you don't look half-bad, yourself, either."

Lies! In Jaune's mind, he looked like a half-dead Beowolf that had been rolling in a pigsty compared to her. He wore a relatively standard black suit and tie with a white dress shirt. More than he'd typically wear, but less than a date with Ruby merited, he thought.

"Kinda like a suave, secret agent-type." She nodded in approval. "It looks good on you."

"Yeah, sure. Arc, Jaune Arc," he winked, doing his best sexy spy man voice. "International man of mystery."

Ruby snorted. "Okay, I take it back," she giggled, "now, you look like a dork."

"Hey!"

Their jabs were cut short by middle-aged waiter clearing his throat beside them. Like all good stereotypical servers, he had a white cloth draped over his forearm. His face just oozed that general sense of high-and-mighty that the restaurant gave off. "Ahem. A pleasant evening to you both, sir and madam," he bowed his head as he spoke; however, he never stopped looking down his over-sized nose at them. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to _la_ _Violette Couronne."_

"Evening," Jaune replied.

"Hi," Ruby waved with a nervous smile.

Without reciprocating, the waiter went on. "My name is Pierre, I am to be your caretaker for the remainder of your stay here. Now, shall we begin with drinks?"

Jaune gestured for Ruby to order first, just like his dad had always told him to. With a nod, she turned to Pierre. "I guess you wouldn't really serve soda in a place like this, huh?"

The waiter let out an audible sigh. It was clear they were not of the restaurant's usual clientele. "No. No, we do not carry soft drinks here. Although we do have a few bottles of sparkling cider for customers who... prefer to avoid alcohol."

"We'll have that," Jaune said.

"Very well," Pierre gave a curt bow. "I shall return with your refreshments, momentarily."

"Thanks!" Jaune called after him as the waiter turned on his heel and strode quickly away. "Well... that was awkward. You'd think we asked if they serve kitten meat by the way he reacted."

Ruby's palm clamped over her mouth as she gasped sharply. "You don't think they _do_?! Because Weiss told me about some of the stuff they sell at places like this," she paused to shudder, "Believe me, it's not too much of a stretch to think they'd cook a poor innocent kitty-cat."

"Uh... I don't think they serve cats at this particular establishment, no."

Her shoulders sagged with relief. "Good. I don't think Blake would ever forgive me if I ate one of her cousins."

Jaune blinked. "Isn't that kind of racist?"

"Is it?" Ruby froze. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth. "Oh my god, it is! Blake's gonna kill me! _I_ said something racist against faunus!"

Jaune flinched. Okay, maybe don't point out the next time his girlfriend said or did something racially insensitive, because it might spur her into a full-blown panic attack. Then again, it seemed to be more than just that which set her off. He glanced around at the other patrons in the room. As he'd expected but hoped against, more than a few pairs of eyes stared toward their table. He offered his best serious huntsman face in return, which appeared to work on a few people, as they quickly noticed something exciting on their plates or the ceiling. The rest just smirked and turned back to their affairs on their own.

Turning back to his date, he found her slumped, elbows resting on the table, face resting in her hands, growing redder and redder by the second. "A-are you okay, Ruby? You don't freak out like that very often."

She let out a deep breath, shaking her head. "I'm fine. It's just... I guess this whole 'us' thing hadn't really sunk in until just now."

Jaune cocked his head, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I don't really know," she shrugged. "Up til now all the dates we went on were just things we could still do as friends, no romance at all. You know?"

"I don't remember us ever making out in the park," Jaune smirked.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Besides that. You get what I mean, though?"

He did. Over the past few weeks, since they'd started dating, the only real proof of that was the kissing. None of the dates had been that amorous. Tonight was supposed to be the night that broke that streak.

"I get it." He nodded. "It all just became real?" Her reply was a return nod. "Yeah, I pretty much had the same thing happen when we walked in."

"You did?" Ruby perked up at the knowledge she wasn't alone.

"Uh, yeah. I went from having no girlfriend and not looking for one to suddenly having one who just so happens to be my best friend." Jaune sighed. "It would take a stronger man than I to just roll with the punches on that one."

The mood lightening a bit, Ruby let out a brief chuckle. "So, you get that I didn't want to do something stupid to mess this up, and then I went and said something stupid and then started freaking out?"

It was good to see her loosen up. She was back to her old run-on-sentence-using self. "Yeah, I get you. But," Jaune reached over and took her hand. "When we first met, your face _literally exploded_. I emptied the of the contents of my stomach all over your sister's shoes. I don't think either of us needs to worry about looking stupid in front of the other."

He peered into her deep silver eyes. Behind them, he could see the memories coming back, a smile pulling at her lips as she began to giggle.

"So, let's not worry about 'making it work' and just have fun. Deal?"

Calmed, Ruby nodded. "Deal."

* * *

In all her years of knowing him, Yang Xiao Long had never expected to see Ruby - fucking _Ruby_ \- on a date with the dork knight of Beacon, Jaune "Lady Killer" Arc. More than that, she'd never even fathomed the possibility that the two of them would go on a date to a five-star restaurant. Ruby hated getting all dolled up in a dress and heels - fucking _heels_ \- and Jaune didn't strike Yang as the type to frequent such places either.

And yet, despite the utter insanity of it, there they were, strolling arm-in-arm out the door of _la_ _Violette Couronne -_ a more pretentious name for a restaurant she'd never heard. Sure enough, Ruby was dressed in a pretty red dress, and Jaune looked none too shabby either in his suit.

Eyebrows escaping into her hairline, Yang pulled the binoculars away from her eyes and lowered them back behind the completely inconspicuous-looking newspaper. A partly-amazed-partly-shocked scoff escaped her. As she watched her little sis and her newfound paramour walk down the other side of the street, Yang leaned back into the bench.

"I can't believe it," she said, reeling from the realization. "Didn't _want_ to believe it."

Beside her, Blake - not even trying to act stealthy - lazily flipped a page in her book. "Ruby's old enough to make her own choices, and Jaune's a decent guy," she said, without even taking her eyes off the page. "They've been best friends for years. I doubt you have anything to worry about."

Yang glanced at her, confused for a second. She must have thought her disbelief was anger. Why did everyone always assume that she, Qrow, and her dad were all murderously obsessed with keeping Ruby out of the romantic world? She knew her sister. Knew she wouldn't do anything she wasn't comfortable with. She understood that Ruby was an adult now, but that was the problem.

"No, I'm not worried," Yang waved her off. "If he does try something, I'll just feed his testicles to Zwei." She shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring the cocked eyebrow Blake shot her. "I'm just shocked by the fact that Ruby's all grown up now."

Noting that this was more than just an overprotective Yang stalking Ruby and Jaune on their date, Blake actually lowered her book, placing it onto her lap. "I suppose that would make sense. It is a little jarring; Ruby never looked like she had any intention of putting herself out there." She stood with a sigh as Yang got up to follow Jaune and Ruby as they rounded a corner out of sight. "But, I guess even _she_ was going to feel the urge eventually. They have been spending a lot more time together lately."

Yang nodded along, hands in her pockets, paying only half a mind. The other half was running wild, and a hitherto undiscovered third half was melting down, trying to figure out how she'd missed all the signs.

It was true, Jaune had been around more over the past couple of weeks. It started with a weird visit out of nowhere that both he and Ruby were being pretty tight-lipped about. He had walked Ruby home at nearly three in the morning. Well, _walked_ may have been the wrong word for it, as she was sleeping like a baby, riding him piggyback, the biggest smile Yang had ever seen plastered across her unconscious face.

That little detail would have sounded some alarms had it been anybody but Jaune. Since they'd known each other, he and Ruby had been closer than siblings. Thus it wasn't too far outside the realm of possibility to see them hanging off one another.

Then, Jaune took Ruby to lunch a couple of times. First on Patch, then they'd spent an entire day together in Vale. Again, not unusual for them, so she let it slide.

The suspicion of something more than just two old friends catching up started to claw its way into Yang's mind when Jaune came by the house and took Ruby to a movie and dinner. She hadn't actually been there to witness it, but dad said Vomit Boy arrived with a bouquet of flowers in hand; roses in fact. If that didn't just scream _these two are dating_ , Yang had no clue what did.

Now, here she was, her own significant other and partner in crime in tow, tracking her sister and _her_ significant other through the streets of Vale like some kind of discount private investigator. She wasn't even honest with herself about why. True, there was the curiosity, but if she really wanted to know about Ruby's love life, Yang could have just asked her. Of course, that would probably garner the same treatment as when they were younger - little red would just go even redder, stutter, and squeal about it being none of her business. No, that wasn't what she was after.

"Why wouldn't she tell me?" The question was spoken in a hushed, almost pained voice. And even if it was rhetorical, Blake's sharp hearing picked it up.

Placing a hand on Yang's shoulder sympathetically, Blake halted. "I'm sure it would have come up eventually. I mean, it's not like they hide it very well." When the joking comment didn't earn the desired reaction, she continued. "Maybe she's just trying to see if it'll work out before letting everybody know?"

Sure as hell looked like it was working. She and Blake rounded the corner to see Ruby and Jaune laughing with ice cream cones in hand. Giggling at something her beau said, Ruby accidentally smeared chocolate all over her face. The two of them fit the bill of the stereotypical cutesy couple perfectly.

Yang shrugged. "I guess, but it doesn't explain why she wouldn't even tell dad or me. Ruby never used to hide anything from us, even when she tried to. She's not too good at keeping secrets."

"Okay, well, maybe she got better, but that's not the point. She may also have another reason." Blake's hand slid down from Yang's shoulder and she took both her hands. "You remember when we first got together? We told no one, right?"

Yang nodded. It was true, although there had been bigger things going on at the time. Namely, the end of the fucking world as they knew it.

"Aside from all the drama that was happening, there were other reasons we kept quiet about it," Blake said, a tiny smirk tugging at her lips. "We wanted to make sure it would work, but also, it felt nice to have something that we didn't need to share with everyone on Remnant. Our little secret love affair, remember?"

Yang did. It seemed like so long ago; they were just two kids, scared out of their minds and looking for comfort in each other. They found it, comfort _and_ a host of other fun things. As much as she could play the part of a calm and collected, no-nonsense kind of girl, Blake was kinky as hell. Handcuffs, tight outfits, toys that boggled the mind to look at. Seriously, what in the world was in those books of hers?

She felt her cheeks heating up at the thought. Shaking her head, a thought struck her, and Yang's eyebrows shot up. "You don't think they're..." Her voice trailed off into a pained whine as she saw Ruby stand up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss right on Jaune's lips. "They're not doing... _that_ , are they?"

Blake crossed her arms, one eyebrow slowly rising. "Sex?" She said it so matter-of-factly, whereas Yang couldn't bring herself to utter the word, for fear of it conjuring up images of her sister having... _that word_ with tall, blonde, and scraggly. "No. Or at least, I highly doubt it. Both of them are so awkward, they wouldn't be able to ask the other or know how to instigate with melting into a blubbering puddle. It's a wonder they're even kissing at all."

They started up tailing the lovebirds again in silence, Yang mulled over her partner's words. It made sense, Jaune and Ruby didn't even seem the type to _date_ , let alone do the deed so early. Looking at them now, they were just your average young couple. The kind that everyone said they strived to be. The one that made everybody around them want to vomit at how cute they were with each other.

She and Blake had never been like that. Early on in their relationship, it was just sex and food. Then, once it came out that they were together, everyone just accepted it as the new norm. Nothing really changed, except for the fact that Yang started soundproofing her walls. Turned out, even as quiet as she was normally, Blake had a decent pair of lungs in her.

Ruby and the dork knight didn't appear to be like them, though. So far, nothing they'd done suggested they had any intention of going that far. Since she and Balke started stalki... er, _observing_ them, Jaune and Ruby had met and had dinner at the restaurant with the pretentious name she couldn't recall, walked together a while, gotten ice cream, and now they were going into a hotel together.

Wait...

"THEY'RE GOING IN A HOTEL TOGETHER!"

Lilac eyes flashed red. A car horn blared as she dove into the street, only to be suddenly yanked backward by her collar. Yang's butt impacted with a concrete sidewalk, and she looked up at Blake, angry, confused, and a little betrayed. "What the hell?!" She scrambled to her feet and started to run, only to be stopped by Blake stepping in front of her. "He's taking Ruby into a hotel room to have... _that word_ with her! She isn't ready for that!"

The dark-haired faunus held up a finger. "First off, did we not just discuss this very thing?" A second finger came up. "Second," Blake pointed to the building, " _that_ is Jaune's apartment complex. We've been there before. Remember?"

Yang didn't see what difference that made. Hotel, apartment, if it had a bed and a door with a lock on it, it would do the job. Why else would Jaune take Ruby home if not to do things to her body that Yang _really_ didn't want to think about?

As if reading her thoughts, Blake grabbed both her shoulder and looked sternly into her eyes. Yang hated that look. It was one you'd give to a child when they didn't understand something. "It's still relatively early. They probably went in to watch a movie, or play video games, or talk, or... any number of things. But a sincerely doubt that your sister and Jaune Arc are going to have sex tonight."

Yang shook her hands away. She grimaced. "Do you have to use that word for it?"

Blake gave an exasperated groan and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I sincerely doubt that Jaune is going to _fuck your sister_ tonight."

Yang's hands rushed to cover her ears, but the damage was already done. "GAH! NOT BETTER!"

"My point still stands." Blake waited for her to finish squirming in disgust before asking, "Now, are you going to be a big girl and let Ruby be the same?"

"I guess so," Yang said with a glare. "You know, you can be a real bitch when you try."

"It's the company I keep. Now come on, like I said, the night's still young."

Yang shook her head one final time to exorcise the unholy images that assaulted her brain. She then followed after her girlfriend. "What are you thinking?"

Blake, without turning around, handed her the book she was reading earlier. The cover was a tasteless, lewd, depiction of a scantily clad young woman with her hands and feet bound to the posts of a bed. Above her, a shirtless man in a black metal mask leered over her half-naked form.

"I have a few ideas."

* * *

After an hour full of a stuffy waiter, a rather dull restaurant atmosphere, and portion sizes that wouldn't choke a mouse, it felt good to be home. Jaune closed the door as he and Ruby stepped into the little apartment. "It's not much, but make yourself at home," he said. She walked into the living area and plopped down onto the couch while he stepped into the little kitchenette near the door.

Jaune laughed silently as he overheard Ruby's slew of cute, muffled not-quite-curses as she, no doubt, struggled to remove her heels. "Stupid, ducking lady-foot-traps!"

By the time he walked in, she had discarded the dreaded shoes and flung them all the way to the other side of the room. Her hair was down too, no longer pulled back into a bun. Just as well, he liked Ruby's hair, and it felt strange to see it penned up like that.

"I'd offer you some food after that tiny meal," he said, placing the plate and two glasses he'd been carrying on the table and sitting next to her. "But I think this is a better option."

Ruby's eyes widened at the sight of a platter stacked high with chocolate chip cookies and two tall glasses of ice-cold milk. "I could and probably will kiss you right now."

Jaune didn't even have time to laugh before Ruby's lips fused with his own. Almost three weeks since they became a couple, and nearly every time they met ended this way. Despite that, it hadn't even begun to get old in the slightest. Each time he saw Ruby look at him, that same expression on her face as that night on the cliffside, pure love and adoration in her eyes. Jaune felt the exact same feeling swelling down in his chest. When she came at him, arms ready to latch around his neck, he felt his heart skip for joy.

What they had was love. No two ways about it.

Jaune fell back into the couch, Ruby's small frame belying her considerable strength as she pushed down on top of him. He delighted in the warmth of her body as his hands traveled across her back. Even hid beneath the crimson gown she wore, Ruby was soft to the touch, inviting to his wandering palms.

Ruby purred in pleasure as Jaune's tongue slipped in through her lips. Rather than fight it or push back with her own, she gladly accepted, allowing the writhing muscle to explore her mouth. The smaller woman squirmed and wriggled in his arms as a familiar sense of passion overcame them both. Her body's softness felt as if she was molding to him like they were two pieces of an incomplete puzzle.

Jaune had to fight back the sudden urge to groan at the immense and torturous pleasure the feeling of her pressing into certain places caused him. Instead, his entire body tensed, and he let a sharp breath pass through clenched teeth. Slender fingers wound themselves through his shaggy blonde mane. A warm palm came to rest on his cheek, petting and lightly scratching at his trimmed beard.

"Mmm... I love you," Ruby hummed, drowsily peeling open her mirrored eyes. A slight dusting of red shown on her cheeks. "Love you so much."

Jaune smiled, placing a hand atop the one cupping his face. He gazed into those enthralling silver orbs, and planting a kiss on her forehead, said, "I love you more." It was cheesy, sure, and they both knew it. But hey, they were new at this whole _being a couple_ thing, they could be forgiven for having fun with the lousy rom-com-esque dialogue.

Ruby blushed and grinned wider. "Oh yeah?" Her voice took on a slightly more challenging lilt. "P-prove it."

A blonde eyebrow cocked. This was new. "I took you out for dinner at the fanciest restaurant I've eve been to, bought you ice cream, gave you cookies and milk, and now I'm holding you in my arms, kissing you." Jaune punctuated with yet another peck on the cheek. "I'm not sure how I could prove it if I haven't already."

Her already pink face went even darker. In fact, this was the reddest Jaune had seen her in all his years of knowing her. "Well... there is... _one way_ ," she whispered.

"What way is that?"

Silver eyes flicking downward and cherry-red lips pursing was all the answer he received. His brow shot up, nearly escaping his face altogether. Jaune gulped. "Wait..."

She nodded nervously. "Mhm."

"Are you saying you want to..."

"Yup."

It was quiet, lacking the customary enthusiasm and signature popping of the 'p,' but it was confirmation. Confirmation of a question that hadn't wholly been asked. Proof that Ruby wanting something from him that only he could provide. Jaune's heart started racing - no, _racing_ implied it was beating fast; his heart was trying to vibrate out of his chest and break the fabric of reality.

"A-are you sure?"

Ruby's eyes came up slowly to meet his. Both their expressions mirrored each other's - crimson face and eyes like dinner plates. She paused, staring straight through to his soul. Utter silence engulfed the tiny apartment but for the sounds of labored breathing emanating from the two lovers. It felt like they would sit like that forever. Ruby searching frantically, Jaune waiting desperately to hear it.

However, finally, she spoke and delivered a single word that sent Jaune reeling. Ruby's gaze hardened, became more determined. "Yes. Yes, Jaune, I want to have... _that word_ with you."

_Holy fuck fucking fuckity-fuck!_ He screamed inside his own head. _What the hell am I supposed to do here!?_

What _could_ he do? A more mature man would have politely turned Ruby down, explain how they weren't ready to take such a step, and offer to let her sleep in his bed while he took the couch. However, many were the things Jaune Arc had been labeled. Mature was not among them. Also, that part of his brain had completely given up on life sometime around when he stuck his tongue in Ruby's mouth.

_Quick, think! What would dad do?_ His father was one of the most sensible and levelheaded people on Remnant. Surely, he'd imparted at least _some_ knowledge of what to do when your girlfriend of just a few weeks wants to sleep with you.

Wait...

_Dad has been in this exact situation before._ Even in his mind, his voice was deadpan. _It's the whole reason Saphron is alive._

_"Just have a little confidence, son. It'll aid you in all walks of life. Why I remember, when I was your age..."_

"Jaune?" Ruby's voice popped the bubble of the insane one-act play that was unfolding inside his skull.

He shook his head, both clearing his thoughts and making a mental note to never, ever, take his father's advice. With more - albeit, very little - focus than before, Jaune was able to wrap his head around the situation at least somewhat. He was lying on his couch, his girlfriend on top of him, recovering from a super hot and spicy make-out session, when suddenly he was posed with the most difficult choice of his memory - which was, admittedly, rather short at the moment.

Jaune, red in the face and flustered, looked Ruby in the eye. With all the composure and calm he could muster, he took a deep breath. "Ruby, I love you. You know that." Her smile served as confirmation. "And right now, there is nothing I'd love more than to take that step."

Ruby's smile drooped a bit. "But?"

_Screw it, here goes._ "But, we're new at all this. And there's a whole ton of risks involved." He sighed, wondering that he was quite possibly the first and last man to ever utter such words. "I don't want us to screw around and wind up in a situation we'll regret."

The room fell quiet once more. The fire that burned inside Jaune's chest was now gone. Replaced by the ever-deepening pit in his stomach as he looked upon Ruby's face. Her mood was unreadable; neither confusion nor anger or sadness came to the surface. She just stared at him, her eyes boring deep into his. It continued on like that for about a minute, though every second that passed felt like an hour.

After an agony of waiting, Ruby's eyelids slipped closed. "That..." Jaune's breath caught as a solitary tear broke through, sliding down her cheek. "That's why," she said, a near-silent laugh slipping past her lips.

He didn't dare speak, for fear he'd upset her even more.

"That's why I fell in love with you!" Ruby erupted into giggles of pure joy as tears began streaming down her face. She hugged his neck tightly, even as Jaune's eyes widened in confusion.

"Wha-What?"

Ruby's voice was muffled as she spoke into his shoulder. "You care so much. Even when I'm offering to sleep with you, all you can think about is how it'll affect me... us."

Wait... whut? Jaune had to do a double, no, a _triple-_ take on what just happened. One second, he'd made his girlfriend cry; the next, she was laughing hysterically. Oh, gods, he'd broken her!

"Always looking out for others," Ruby went on, "Even if it's not the best for you."

He could only stare at the ceiling, wondering how in the hell he'd wound up here. "I-I," he stammered, placing a hand on her back and pulling her close. Her softness was the only constant right now, and it helped to settle his frantic nerves. "I mean, I just want us to think this sort of thing through. No matter how much either of us wants it, it isn't worth a lifetime of regret."

She raised her head up. Looking him in the eye once more. "So... you _do_ want to?"

Did he want to? Ruby obviously didn't know who she was talking to. In his day, he had one sex drive to rule them all. Teenage boys were some of the horniest creatures on the planet, and Jaune "Masturbated Twelve Times in One Day" Arc held the title of their king. Also, did she not have nerve-endings? Could she not feel the immense tightness in his dress pants pressed up against her thighs?

Ahem... All that aside

"More than anything," he said diplomatically, betraying none of his thoughts.

Ruby glanced about, the nervousness from before apparently having returned. "Well," she whispered. "I mean, if you're really worried, I can wait. It doesn't have to be tonight... or at least, not right this minute."

It took Jaune a second to grasp what she was saying. She was suggesting that they wait until... "You want me to go buy... uh, _protection_?"

Ruby blushed. "Uh, yep...?"

Jaune closed his eyes. She really was just as nervous as he was; not a minute ago, she'd asked if he wanted this. And he'd said yes, but still couldn't entirely free himself of that damned uncertainty that had plagued him all his life. Ruby was ready and willing; prepared to take that monumental step. She even posed an alternative that eliminated the risks he envisioned. Now the only thing holding him back was his own confidence - or rather, a lack thereof.

"Jaune?" Ruby appeared in his wandering gaze. "What do you say?"

He took a deep breath. Time to take control. It took all the courage he had, but after a moment of silence, Jaune summoned up the answer. "Yes."


	3. Let Go - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaune and Ruby's newfound love was difficult to accept at first. But once it took hold, it really had them. Now, with their entire future ahead of them, a choice must be made. Time to let go of uncertainty.

Awkward was a familiar feeling.

Awkward was a safe feeling.

Anything that wasn't awkward was pretty far outside Jaune's comfort zone, in fact.

However, in this scenario, the blond knight was feeling more uncomfortable than usual. His eyes were locked to the floor in front of his feet. Lips pursed into a thin line, he stood rigidly still with his hands in his pockets. Behind him, a middle-aged woman coughed and hacked wetly into her fist, a wad of phlegm coming up in her throat by the sound of it. To the fore, a morbidly obese man was handing two tubs of ice cream to a bored-looking drug store clerk.

Jaune looked a sight different than the other people in line, and it showed on the cashier's face when ice cream guy ambled away with his bounty. Gone was his nice dinner jacket; in its place was a hoodie that had seen better days. Instead of the shiny black dress shoes, he wore a pair of sneakers. However, he still donned the black slacks and white dress shirt, albeit with a few buttons undone. And his once-combed mane of gold had been reduced to a shaggy mess. To any passerby, he was either the worst-dressed best man at a wedding or the best-dressed hobo.

With a raised brow, the young man behind the counter asked in a monotonous voice, "Can I help you?"

Jaune coughed into his fist, partly because it was what people did when they were in uncomfortable situations, and part in a small, futile attempt to make his presence due to some medical need. "Uh, y-yeah," he said, his words rushed and clumsy, matching the absolute frenzy in his mind. With a little less subtlety than was desired, and without making eye-contact with anyone, Jaune pulled the small multi-colored box out of his hoodie pocket and slipped it across the counter.

Upon seeing it, the kid must have realized why Jaune was acting so ashamed, as he simply nodded and rang the item up without a word. For this, Jaune was thanking the Brothers, Ozpin, Salem, and any other deity that came to mind. The cost of the package flashed up on the small display, along with the tax, giving him his total. The blonde huntsman fished his wallet out his pocket and produces the necessary lien. Handing it to the clerk, he was beginning to think the whole wretched experience might come to an end soon, and without any kind of hiccup that'd no doubt shatter the thin shred of calm he had left.

"Okay, will that be all, sir?" the cashier droned. Jaune nodded, lips pursed, and eyes wide as he shifted on his feet. He then felt his heart sink below his stomach. An evil glint sparkled in the kid's eye, the smallest of grins pulled at his lips.

"Alright then," he said, louder, and with more emotion than ever before. "Would you like your _condoms_ bagged, or would you like your _condoms_ unbagged, sir?"

Jaune immediately felt his face go beet red. His blood pressure went haywire, and his brain wanted to die. "Y-you..." _MOTHERFUCKING SHITMUNCHER CUNTBUCKET!_

It took all the strength he possessed to not drag the smug bastard over the counter and out the door to the street and beat his ass with the colorful box of contraceptives. Deep breaths hissed through clenched teeth as Jaune turned and stalked toward the door. Behind him, along with the little MSC's whooping laughter, he heard the sick lady who was next in line judging his purchase.

"Shameful," she wheezed. "If you can't handle havin' a child, don't stick it in."

_It's for Ruby,_ he seethed inside his own head. _Just think about how much you love Ruby, and how happy this will make her. Whatever you do, do not lose control of yourself. Because the words they'll use to describe me on the news tomorrow are 'standoffish' and 'loner.'_ But alas, _s_ alvation was in sight! The automatic sliding doors of the drug store were a mere five feet away. Just a few more steps and Jaune was free to melt into a puddle, cry, or say things that his mother would no doubt haunt his nightmares for.

However, in their infinite mercy, the gods decided to have one more quick bit of fun with him on his way out. Propped up against the wall by the door, with a hideous combination of chocolate and orange sherbet smeared across his jowls, was the ice cream guy from before. Taking one look at the purple box in Jaune's hand as he stepped outside, the fat man gave a meaty thumbs-up and a wink - basically a middle finger from the universe. It was meant as a show of respect, though. A sign that a bro could see that a bro was getting lucky. But all Jaune could do was sigh and hunch.

The thought of Ruby waiting for him at his home flashed into his head. The things they'd said and what they were planning to do. He took one look at the box of condoms in his hand and sighed. Even after all the embarrassment he'd gone through to buy them, it was still worth it. He loved Ruby, and she loved him.

"The things I'll do for love."


	4. Let Go - Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaune and Ruby's newfound love was difficult to accept at first. But once it took hold, it really had them. Now, with their entire future ahead of them, a choice must be made. Time to let go of uncertainty.

Jaune's heart was pounding like a thousand tiny drums in one small parade in his chest as he gingerly stepped through the door to his apartment. It had taken all night for it to sink in finally. Even when he'd gone through the horrendously awkward experience of buying contraceptives, Jaune was merely going through the motions in a dreamlike haze. He still could barely believe what he was about to do with the woman he loved so much.

Speaking of which, Ruby was waiting for him; sat on the couch with her knees drawn up to her chest, watching late-night cartoons. He'd left a while ago, and the drug store had been more crowded than expected. In waiting for his return, she'd changed into something more comfortable, by the look of it. Gone was her form-fitting and stunning red dress, replaced by one of Jaune's t-shirts, which was very obviously a few sizes too big for her. It should have bothered him that she'd rooted through his stuff and worn his clothes without asking, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset for some reason.

More than likely, it was the fact that she looked so good dressed like that - a combination of cute and sexy that perfectly encapsulated Ruby.

Taking a deep breath, he strode into the living area, plastic grocery bag in hand. "I'm back," he said, with all the false confidence he could muster. He tried his best to keep his cool and not start shaking.

Ruby smiled as he entered; she didn't appear to be suffering from any of the nerves that he was. However, Jaune had known Ruby Rose for years and knew that she was probably screaming her head off inside. "Hey," she waved a few fingers. "Hope you don't mind, but I raided your closet. I just had to get out of that... _thing_."

Jaune chuckled as he looked down to notice the dress discarded on the floor. "It's okay, so long as you return the favor one day." She stared at him for a minute, a confused smile on her lips. When laughter eventually bubbled out, he had to ask, "What?"

"Well," she giggled. "I was gonna say that I don't think any of my stuff would fit you, but I can't. I've seen you in a dress."

Jaune couldn't help but laugh at the memory as well. The big dance at Beacon that everyone who was anyone went to. That night, he and Ruby had bonded over punch, looking out at their teammates having fun with each other. Neither of them had a date, but they really didn't care. It was just pleasant to hang out with friends.

Then Pyrrha had arrived, to the surprise of everyone, alone. No one had asked her to accompany them, and thus she'd had to go stag. That hadn't been allowed to stand. Jaune had promised her that if she didn't get a date, he'd wear a dress. Well... an Arc always keeps his word.

That had been a good time. An innocent time, back when all Jaune had cared about was staying in Beacon, failing to flirt with Weiss, and getting strong enough to finally beat Cardin in a spar. Things were simpler back then. There was no ancient evil they had to fight. No risk of imminent death every day. They were, all of them, still kids, and they hadn't yet lost that little bit of blissful ignorance. A hope for the future that they'd all have their happy ending.

Jaune looked to Ruby as he thought, _I think I've found mine._ The beautiful mirrored eyes of his girlfriend gazed back at him. Her crimson lips were pulled into a smile that conveyed all the love she felt for him. He wondered what went through that head of hers to bring the faintest dusting of pink to her cheeks.

He placed a hand on her bare knee. "I love you," he smiled.

Ruby blushed and scooted closer to him on the couch, leaning into his side. "I love you, too, Jaune." Jaune instantly felt her warmth radiate over him, like a comforting blanket or stuffed toy to a child. Stretching her neck, she kissed him on the lips. It was a pleasant and soothing touch, and it left him craving more. She tasted like strawberries and the remnants of chocolate, her lips her soft and warm, and he had to fight to resist the urge to lick his own.

A sudden wave of eagerness came over him, and Jaune lifted her up slightly. He repositioned himself such that Ruby was once again, laid atop his chest. She let out a quiet, breathy chuckle as he pulled her in closed, their noses almost touching tips. Not an hour ago, they were in this same situation, posed at a crossroads. One choice was the safest - the road he'd traveled a hundred times before. Never take a risk, and you won't be hurt. But right now, Jaune felt only disgust at the thought of turning away this chance. He stared at Ruby, those big silver eyes brimming with an unspoken question.

A glint of determination in his eyes, Jaune stated, "I'm ready to prove it."

Ruby hummed with delight as his mouth locked with hers. Instantly, a war began between the pair's tongues - each vying for control of the space between them. Jaune's hands roved across her form; one settled at the nape of her small neck, while its twin found a home on the small of her back, pulling her ever closer to him until no light could be found betwixt the two lovers.

Even if Jaune was winning the fight for dominance of the deep kiss, Ruby still managed to make him falter, just a little. While he kept his hands in well-traveled and moderately safe areas, she was much braver. He couldn't stop the slight flinch that came as a result of feeling her begin to undo the buttons of his dress shirt. Grabbing his collar, she hoisted them up and pulled the sleeves down his arms. She then wasted not a second in ripping the white undershirt over his head, baring his chiseled torso to open air.

Jaune's head impacted the couch cushions with a muffled thud, and they were back to their regularly-scheduled face-hugging within nano-seconds. Ruby's palms were warm and relaxing as they roamed his chest, feeling every crease, every valley. She left no inch of skin untouched in her explorations and paid extra special attention to the few scars he'd earned over his career as a hunter. The claw marks on his shoulder, the few circular spots where bullets had been stopped by his aura, but still broken the skin on impact; these were visible, yes, and painful reminders of screwups in his past.

The one mark Ruby actually stopped to feel in its entirety, however, held much more meaning and even value. Running diagonally from his left pectoral to his right hip, a long thin slash served as a trophy. He'd acquired it during his and Ruby's final confrontation with Cinder Fall. The super-powered fall maiden struck him with a blade forged from pure fire and magic. Clean through his aura, armor, clothing, it had cut, nearly ending his life. But like so many times before, Ruby had been there to help him to his feet. Now, Jaune considered the scar a token of the bond he shared with her - one of the few things he treasured.

Jaune gasped for breath when Ruby's face unclasped from his. He looked at her in confusion, expecting to see her in much the same state, just coming up for air. Instead, he was greeted by the top of her head; she began kissing her way down across his chest. Her lips danced over his skin, following the scar, stopping briefly to give another few extra pecks over his heart. When she reached the mark's end at his side, she did not stop, merely turned right back around and made her way back up.

Panting wildly, and with an animalistic look in her eyes, Ruby then gripped her hands behind Jaune's head and made to roll them over so that he was on top of her. However, in the frenzy of emotions and hormones, both of them forgot that they were on a couch and not a bed. That is until they both hit the hard floor rather abruptly. It didn't seem to phase her much, though; as she immediately reached out and began frantically messing with Jaune's belt buckle, trying to undo it.

The sudden rush of her hands in such a... sensitive area sent a shock through Jaune's body. Nerve endings tingled, and he found himself yearning to feel it again. At the same time, knowing what was about to happen brought the tiniest voice of reason to his otherwise clouded mind. A question made him act.

Did he really want his first time experiencing this fantastic thing with Ruby to be in the middle of his living room floor? No. No way in hell was he letting this monumental event go without him attempting to make more than that.

Before Ruby was able to finish unclasping his pants, Jaune brought a surprised gasp from her by scooping her up in his arms. She was a very lightweight person, but still not as light as her size suggested due to the muscle-mass that all hunters put on. As such, his own muscles flexed against her as he stood. Her long legs hooked around his waist, just as her hands did the same behind his neck. Jaune fought but eventually failed to avoid blushing at the heat and wetness he felt pressed against his stomach between her legs.

Wavering down ever so slightly, Jaune gradually staggered his way around the table while Ruby hungrily kissed his face. He then began the treacherous walk towards his bedroom. Despite living there for nearly a year now, Jaune found it incredibly challenging to navigate the small apartment with his girlfriend's writhing body latched to his torso. It took a while, with many accidental collisions with various walls and doorframes, but eventually, he found the right door and kicked it open. Broken doorknob be damned, he made the final few steps toward the bed and literally dropped the two of them into it.

Ruby gasped and chuckled groggily as she hit the mattress, already crawling for him with a needy look in her eye. Jaune blushed again as he caught a glimpse of the black panties she wore as she stretched her legs to straddle him. Ruby, obviously having caught him staring, winked as she leaned down to plant a quick, chaste kiss on his nose. In any other scenario, it would have been the most innocent and sweet gesture. But now, with her most private regions hovering so close to his, and the raw tide of emotions rushing through them, it was the very opposite. That single touch brought a heady, dirty feeling, and caused a shiver to run up Jaune's spine.

This was not the same Ruby he'd met in Beacon's courtyard. Nor was it even the same one who had been fumbling with her words over dinner a few hours ago.

This... this was someone else entirely.

Jaune breath hitched, and he watched in awe as Ruby leaned back and wound her slender fingers into the folds of the t-shirt she stole. With agonizing slowness, she pulled the veil up; Jaune's heart beat faster with every inch of flesh exposed. Goosepimples covered Ruby's toned stomach as the coolness of the room washed over her skin. The rose-red bra that covered her chest's beautiful treasures had him sweating. Even the way her dark locks fell back down as she pulled the shirt off and cast it aside was torturous.

It was like an ice-pick in his chest when her hands slowly snaked their way around her back. Jaune imagined her thumbing the clasps of her bra, then his thoughts were shattered when her arms came back and crossed under her breasts. The motion, combined with the way she shrugged her shoulders, accentuated her bust and made him suck in air through clenched teeth, but the devilish grin she wore made him worry.

Ruby's hands were on the move again, fingers splayed out as they crept over her chest and down her stomach. Her face morphed, her silver eyes became lidded and bit down lightly on her bottom lip. The tips of her fingers danced and teased with the elastic waist of her underwear. She hooked one thumb underneath and gently tugged downward, exposing the smallest bit of skin and a hint of what lay further down. The more she pulled, the more heat Jaune felt in his cheeks. He didn't even blink as she tugged enough to give the barest glimpse of a small patch of dark curls.

The snap of elastic on skin snapped him out of his trance, however. Confused and actually quite annoyed, Jaune looked up to see that same evil smile on Ruby's face.

"What was -?" he began, only to find a finger shushing him.

Ruby leaned in close, Jaune nearly whimpered at the feeling of her breasts pushed up against him. Looking straight into his eyes, she kissed his nose, the same as the first, and just as intoxicating. With a grin, she whispered, "I think you should go first."

Jaune wanted to scream. No fucking way was this his Ruby. Gone was the sweet girl who could barely talk to strangers without melting into a blubbering puddle. She had been abducted by aliens and replaced with this evil, torturous, sexual deviant.

He loved her.

Eager to get to the prize that laid in his near future, Jaune immediately started undoing buttons and zippers and all the other things that made pants stay on. Nearly ripping the buttons off and jamming the fly while trying to work around the big annoyance that lay beneath, he finally kicked the garments off his legs. All the while, Ruby sat on her knees, hands in her lap, an innocent smile adorning her face like she had no idea why he was so frustrated.

Before he could start on his boxers, she had crawled closer. In one motion, Ruby placed her palm on Jaune's chest and pushed him onto his back. Jaune watched as that same hand slid down and grabbed his waistband, joined by its twin right after. Not quite as slowly as she had with her shirt, but just as exciting, she pulled the underwear down his legs and let free the beast.

Despite all her teasing before, a little bit of the Ruby he knew still managed to slip past her facade. Jaune caught the way her eyes lit up ever so slightly at the sight of him springing forth. He saw how her hand timidly crept up to it and hesitated. She glanced at him, meeting his gaze, and smiled. It wasn't the adoring one she'd had on when he'd returned. Nor was it the depraved look she'd worn for the last while. It was somewhere in the middle, and it told him just how happy she was to be where she was.

"Well," she hummed, "guess it's my turn, huh?"

Jaune stared as she reached around her back and undid the clasp of her bra. Ruby glanced at him and paused for a moment, lowering her hands slightly; however, she chuckled as she saw him flinch and followed through. The way the garment went slack told it was for real, and as it slipped down her arms, he was petrified.

Jaune had seen breasts before, whether in dirty magazines, his friends found, or online. But none of those even compared to what was in front of him right now. None of those pictures or videos had inspired the awe that overtook him. Perfect, that was the only way he could even describe them. Ruby had always been of smaller stature, and her breasts echoed that fact. They were just the right size and shape to match her body, each with a flawlessly placed nipple. Not too big to make her look topheavy or uneven; neither were they smaller than she should have. In Jaune's mind, she was perfectly proportioned.

She wasn't done, though. Ruby sat up on her knees and dragged her black panties down her legs. It looked like... fruit, honestly - sort of reminiscent of a kiwi or peach with a groomed tuft of dark fuzz above. It the dim light of the bedroom, it was faint, but Jaune could barely make out the soft shimmer of moisture around her groin.

Perfect. That's what Ruby was. Was the term overused? Sure. Accurate? Definitely. Jaune was in total awe as his eyes wandered over her naked body.

"So?" Ruby questioned, a sultry lilt in her voice. "You like what you see?"

Jaune didn't even know how to words anymore. Let alone answer a question coherently. "I, uh... I... yeah."

She let slip a soft, breathy chuckle that made the hairs on Jaune's neck standing on end. His chest rose and fell rapidly as Ruby crawled toward him, gently pressing him back into the bed's ruffled blankets. Her crimson-tipped locks tickled his chin as she laid a volley of kisses on his chest, moving ever so slowly up his neck and to his lips. Her tongue glided across his lips and cheek before she stopped to look deep into his eyes.

"Jaune?" she said quietly.

Jaune gulped. His heart was hammering in the back of his throat. "R-Ruby?"

"Are you ready for this?"

As nervous as he was, he still wasted not a moment in nodding decisively. Words could not make it to his mouth, but he was ready. Posed on the brink of the most significant event in his life, Jaune Arc was prepared to take the leap with Ruby. Any consequences that came about, they'd face together, he was sure of it. After this, they'd be closer than ever before, were that even possible.

At his answer, Ruby herself nodded, kissed him one more time, and leaned back. Her bare chest was heaving, same as his, as she rose up on her knees and positioned herself above him. At once, both their hands moved to steer him right, as it were. Their fingers met at his base and forced them to pause yet again. Silver eyes met azure, and consent was had from both parties, one final look before the pact was made.

Jaune heard Ruby whisper as his eyes slid shut, "Here goes nothing."

That first touch was electrifying. Jaune's tip met the unspeakable hotness of her skin, and he felt every muscle in his body contract and tighten at the contact. Ruby seemed, wasn't feeling any different; her breaths were labored and lilted with near-silent moans, even as he pressed less than an inch into her. A pained whine escaped her at the sense of him creeping another little bit. She had half engulfed the helmet-shaped top, and Jaune could already feel her inner walls tightening around him.

Her fingers gripped the scant hairs on his chest as she steeled herself to push onward. Ruby hissed through gritted teeth and slowly moaned at the sensation he caused her. The muscles down below flexed around the new intrusion; with a sharp gasp, she crested the broadest part of him and fully received the cap. Already she was panting for air, and sweat covered her body in a magnificent sheen.

After a brief recovery, Ruby composed herself and set to gracefully rising and falling, each movement steadily taking more of his length in. Every subtle shift in her pose sent a wave of pleasure through Jaune and forced and low grunt or groan out.

He could have laid there, unmoving, for eternity, but he soon realized that he wasn't contributing in the slightest. Ruby, up to this point, had been taking all the initiative and driving them forward. Even now, he was still, while she gradually took more of him in. While he could see and hear that was giving her no small amount of pleasure, he felt somewhat responsible for making her feel even better.

Gingerly, he snaked his hands, palms open and fingers spread, up her thighs. One stopped, and his thumb gently stroked the flesh around her entrance. His very touch caused her to flinch and buck against his hand, and for a moment, he considered moving away. However, the sounds Ruby was making and the way she leaned into him, had Jaune continuing. He gently caressed her skin, his calloused thumb brushing through her soft curls and pressing lightly in the sensitive spot he knew lay beneath. It was strange, and also very _arousing_ that he even felt himself gliding into and out of her through her skin.

"Oh... hah... Jaune," Ruby mewled from above. "I... I _love_ that."

Well, by the Brothers, he sure as hell wasn't going to stop, then. His finger kept a perpetual motion, circling the same spot while pressing in gently. Presently, Ruby nearly slipped entirely to his base and began rolling her hips, pulling him in and out, over and over again. Each rotation rocked Jaune to his core and did much the same to her. Neurons popped, and the fingers on his free hand squeezed the soft flesh of Ruby's behind. She moaned and gasped incoherently with each time he thrust into her furthest depths. Ruby's mouth hung open, face frozen in magical euphoria, even as her lower lips tightened around Jaune.

He heaved as their tempo gradually began increasing, clouding his mind and ripping apart any hope of intelligible thought. The world around them faded into nothingness. There was no time, no others existed but them. Jaune, Ruby, and the awesome love between them was all that there was. Together, two were becoming one, all other thought, memory, or worry fled from both their minds.

Wanting nothing more than to feel his lover more, Jaune's hand skimmed up Ruby's toned stomach. Savoring every inch of flawless skin, he crept ever upward. She let loose a quiet moan the instant his fingertips touched the object of his grasp. Ruby's breast was astonishing how it seemingly molded itself to his hand; it was soft and squishy but also filled right back out wherever he pressed. Clearly, he wasn't the only one that enjoyed the experience, for Ruby leaned into his hand, filling his palms entirely with soft, pillowy, flesh. She let out a faint cry as his thumb brushed over her erect nipple. The touch was so electrifying and pleasurable that she grabbed the back of his hand and pushed him against her chest.

Ruby nearly fell forward as she smashed her lips into his, her moans of delight muffled and mixed with his own. Their tongues merged and wrestled with one another, dancing and playing within their cheeks. As Ruby's hot, frantic breath washed over his face, Jaune felt the all too familiar rise of passion inside him. It was nearing that marvelous, cresting time.

She wasn't too far off either by the feel of it. The bucking of her hips against Jaune's had reached and desperate and wild pace. Moans and grunts that before were interspersed with gasps for breath had now united into one long, pleading cry.

"Ja... Oh, gods! Jaune!" Ruby babbled into his neck. Her nails dug into his skin, the slight pain somehow amplifying the exhilaration he was experiencing. Unlike her, Jaune was unable to even get that many words out to voice his feelings. Instead, his reply came as a string of sharp breaths and heavy grunts.

Within a few seconds that seemed hours to them, that fabled moment arrived. It struck Ruby first, her back arched, and out came her loudest cry yet. It was very nearly a scream, and, had he been in the right mind, Jaune would have worried about the neighbors overhearing. Every muscle across her body contracted and tightened, locking him into a prison where Ruby herself was the cage.

The sensation of her climaxing on him, pushed Jaune over the edge. Sparks flashed in his vision, even though his eyes were fused shut. His teeth clenched so hard they might have cracked. The release was unlike any he'd ever felt before - like that first time, amplified a million times over. Jaune's brain melted into jelly, and his body went numb as he thrust wave after wave of seed out, filling Ruby up with hot passion.

The rush of euphoria held them for ages. For a while, the only sound audible was their combined panting and racing hearts. Sweat poured down their bodies in torrents, soaking them, and the bedsheets under them. Ruby's head fell groggily and rested against his chest, her dark hair tickling his nose. Inside her still, Jaune's arms found what little strength they could and wrapped around her back, slowly stroking up and down her perspiring form.

They laid like that for a while. Jaune wasn't sure how long, but long enough for his heartbeat to slow and his head to clear. Silence had enveloped the room, and he glanced down, taking in Ruby's full beauty once more. Her breath was even and soft as she rested atop him. Her slender fingers drew circles around on his chest, tracing one of his scars.

Ruby was eventually the one to break them out of the quiet peace with a light sigh. "Wow," she breathed.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed. "That was... I don't even know what to call that."

She raised her head and stared at him, eyes half-lidded. A hand came up to rest on his cheek. "I do," she said. "That was love." She kissed his lips with a smile. "I love you, Jaune Arc."

Jaune couldn't help the grin that fell on his face as Ruby rolled over and nuzzled up to his side. Any worry that once plagued his mind was gone, washed away by his love for the beautiful woman in his arms. Not an hour ago, he'd been paralyzed by fear of the unknown future. Now, all he could think about was Ruby Rose, and how unbelievably in love he was.

"You're amazing, Ruby," he sighed. "You look amazing, you sound amazing, everything you are and do is just amazing." Sure it wasn't his most original compliment, but it got the point across.

Ruby chuckled. It was a light thing, but it set Jaune's skin to tingling as the vibrations traveled between them. "You know, with your way with words, I'm shocked Weiss never took you up on any of your offers." The gentle tease was enough to bring a little red to his face. "I mean, really, with things like 'amazing' and 'snow angle,' it's a wonder you were single long enough for me to grab you."

Jaune could say or do nothing to refute her jeers. "Okay, so I'm not the best flirt in the world," he conceded, giving her a small squeeze. "My point is, I've never been happier than right now. I love you, Ruby. More than anything in this world or any other."

A minute went by, then that minute turned to two, and eventually, he was no longer able to track the time. A comfortable quiet took them once more. Usually, Jaune hated when a conversation dropped off, but he couldn't see any reason to mind at the moment. That was what amazed him about Ruby the most - just the way her very proximity was enough to relax and settle him. After a while, he felt his arm start to tingle as it lost blood-flow and fell asleep. However, he couldn't bring himself to move and disturb Ruby. Jaune could feel her dozing off in his embrace. Her grip on him loosened, breath slowed, and she snuggled up even closer yet.

It wasn't long before sleep came for him as well. That night, Jaune slept better than he had in years. The comfort Ruby gave was like that of his teddy bear as a child. A soft, warm presence like no other hugged into his side.


	5. Let Go - Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaune and Ruby's newfound love was difficult to accept at first. But once it took hold, it really had them. Now, with their entire future ahead of them, a choice must be made. Time to let go of uncertainty.

Most mornings, Jaune awoke with the sun. Which was to say, he set his alarm to wake him at the same time as the sun rising; living in inner Vale, he rarely experienced actual sunrises anymore. Regardless, he'd be up within a few minutes and started on his regular morning training routine. It had been a bit since he'd had work as a huntsman, which he didn't necessarily mind, but the old muscle-memory drilled into him by his team and friends still had a firm hold.

Not this morning, though.

It was about an hour past his usual wake-up time, but Jaune was still lying in bed. Fully awake, mind, but he'd broken the typical cycle. He breathed a sigh of contentment with a small yawn as his eyes took in the sight that kept him bound to the mattress yet again.

Ruby looked so much like an angel, laid out and partially covered by cotton sheets. Her creamy alabaster skin was so tantalizingly inviting to his touch, and Jaune struggled to keep from reaching out and disturbing her. Her bare chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm as she slept, one arm lazily draped over and a cute little hand resting against her pale cheek. Jaune fought hard the urge to laugh at the soft cooing that slipped past her pink lips. She was probably in the middle of some sweet dream or other - likely involving cookies, weapons, or a weird combination of the two.

He still could barely believe what had happened between them. Jaune lost his virginity - something he was both slightly proud and ashamed to have kept intact so long - to Ruby. The thought sent his mind reeling, and the more he dwelled on it, the giddier he became. The act they'd performed the previous night was not just one of passion, but it also served to strengthen the love he felt in his heart for her. Even lying at her side now, he'd never felt closer to this woman who had been his best friend for years and showed him how to love.

Once more, his eyes drifted lazily over her sleeping form. Jaune gazed upon Ruby in an almost reverential manner. She was perfect in every way, too pure for the world, and too good to be wasting her time loving his sorry ass. Her mere sight was enough to set a fire in his chest and bring that familiar - if slightly annoying - sense to his core.

_Aaaand... Hello, hormones,_ he thought to himself, glancing irritably down at the tent rapidly forming below the covers. _Nice to see you again. What's it been, six hours?_

Ruby's light sigh as she rolled over to face him pulled Jaune out from his thoughts. Silver eyes opened slowly and met with azure. He couldn't help the smile that peeled his lips up in a stupid toothy grin, one that Ruby matched. Never in his life had Jaune expected he would find himself lying in bed beside this woman with whom he'd shared so much, but now, he never wanted to go back to the way things were.

"Hi," he whispered.

Ruby shifted closer to him, pulling the covers up over the two of them. "Morning, Vomit Boy." Jaune felt pins and needles run up his legs as hers hooked around his calves, and she draped an arm over his shoulder.

The fire in his belly growing in intensity, Jaune breathed deeply and marveled at her beauty. She was always pretty, even when he'd not had any interest in her romantically. Pale skin that might have rivaled Weiss's in whiteness had Ruby not spent as much time outdoors as she already did. Cheeks that just begged to be squeezed and mushed by how cutely they matched her - at times - rather childish demeanor. And she was tiny! Ruby was at least a foot shorter than Jaune even for being only two years younger than him, with a frame that belied the insane strength it took to wield a weapon like Crescent Rose. She was, despite her protests to the contrary, the very embodiment of cute.

Jaune's face started to warm as his eyes and mind drifted. Though it seemed, below the adorable shell, Ruby was hiding a secret side. A sexy side. For all her loveable and sweet appearance suggested an innocent little woman, last night indicated otherwise. She knew how to work that small stature and form to give him goose pimples even now. Apparently, Yang wasn't the only one in her family that could tease and seduce.

"What're you thinking about?" Ruby probed into his concentration - or lack thereof. Despite the question, the way Jaune felt her fingers trail up his thigh suggested she knew _exactly_ what was going on inside his head.

He blushed. "Oh... you know," blue eyes flicked downward, toward the wondrous bounty hidden below the covers, "stuff."

Ruby's face pulled into a knowing smirk, a quiet laugh slipping past her lips. " _Stuff_ , huh?" Jaune wanted to protest as her warm fingertips departed from his skin. She inched closer to him, the tip of her nose coming to brush his, warm breath blew across his cheeks as he leaned in to meet her.

"Well, while you're busy thinking about ' _stuff_ ,'" she tittered. "I'm thinking about how awesome last night was." She pressed a kiss to his lips, strange as it sounded, adrenaline rushed through Jaune's veins. The same energy from the night before overtook him, and he kissed her back. He rolled over, shifting, so he was straddled above Ruby, his elbows sunk into the mattress on either side of her torso.

He tried to emulate that same, sultry, sensual manner he'd seen in Ruby last night. "Just how awesome was it?" he asked, a light growl tingeing his voice. Had his head not been fogged by the prospect of sex, Jaune would have cringed at how ridiculous he sounded. However, emotion driving him more than thought, he went for it. "Enough to want to go again?"

Ruby smirked under his gaze. "Oh yeah."

_Yaayyyy!_ Inside his mind, Jaune was leaping and dancing for joy. Even after just the one experience, he knew for sure - he loved sex. It was like the when he'd discovered masturbating or pouring melted cheese on food; the fact that something so terrific could exist, and was so readily available, it was enough to bring a tear to his eye.

" _But_ ," Ruby's voice brought his mental jubilations to a grinding halt, "right now, I'm starving, filthy, and I really gotta pee. So... maybe after breakfast?"

As if subconsciously agreeing with her, Jaune's stomach groaned out in annoyance. He sighed as he remembered that neither Ruby nor himself had really eaten a substantial meal since lunch the previous day. Last night's date was worth it to see how beautiful Ruby was when she got dressed up, but the meal itself left a great deal to be desired. The fancy restaurant's portions were barely a mouthful about as filling. What little he could identify as some form of steak tasted great, but not enough to justify spending a rent payment on it. Just thinking back on it made Jaune crave a hearty plateful of bacon and eggs.

"You know what," he said, "breakfast sounds fantastic right now."

Ruby nodded and smiled as she rolled out from underneath the covers. Her bare feet swung out and rested on the floor. The catlike manner she stretched out, fingers intertwined and palms toward the ceiling, caused Jaune's breath to catch in his throat. Powerful, corded musculature flexed beneath her pale flesh, the dim light of dawn from the shaded window gave the woman an almost angelic glow in his eyes. His gaze roved across her body even until she disappeared behind the bathroom door.

It wasn't until the door clicked shut, he heard the toilet flush, and the shower turn on that Jaune sighed, yawned, then grunted his way out of bed as well. As he sat up, his attention was once again drawn back to the one-eyed beast with no memory and no conscience. His life-long companion stood rigidly at attention, awaiting orders in his lap.

"Down boy," he groaned, "You'll get your turn." A hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he realized the sheer level of insanity he had to reach to start talking to his own penis.

Emerging from the bedroom, a pair of sweat pants now covering his shame, Jaune entered his apartment's kitchenette area, fully intent on whipping up the most amazing post-coitus breakfast ever. He hadn't ever really gotten the chance to let it shine while on the road with team RNJR, but Jaune had always considered himself a good cook, especially when it came to breakfast. Sure, Ren could brew up some magical potion out of spinach and sadness that would bring life to a corpse, but Jaune was an artisan with morning comfort foods.

A pan hit the burner, the stainless steel heating up before a pat of butter was dropped in. At the same time, Jaune set to beating a few eggs in a bowl, then poured them into the pan with a satisfying sizzle accompanying them. Allowing the eggs to cook in the heat, he laid stips of deliciously cured bacon in a second skillet, each screaming out in a symphony of cracks and pops as it hit the metal. The boiling of the coffee maker soon joined the concord as Jaune retrieved a pair of ceramic mugs from the cabinet. Within moments, the room was permeated with a communion of incredible aromas.

Jaune took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. So, this is what it all meant. This moment in time, it was the reason he'd gone through all the crazy shit with Cinder, Salem, the maidens, Ozpin. All of it strengthened the bond he had with his best friend, now it had led him to a real union with her.

Despite how happy he was, Jaune had to ask himself, was it all worth it? The pain, the sleepless nights, the tears at lost loved ones; was all that sacrifice worth the peace he felt now?

Absolutely. Jaune wasn't proud of all the things he'd done in his life. But, would he change them if it meant he wouldn't end up where he was? No way. He was happy; for the first time in ages, Jaune Arc was glad to look at all the things he had in his life. An awesome girlfriend in the other room, no doubt feeling the same love in her heart as he. A decent home, nearby to the school where he'd studied and met friends that he now considered family. He had even fulfilled his boyhood dream of living up to his long, proud family legacy. He was a hero in the eyes of the people of Remnant.

His life, all things considered, was all right.

And the same could be said of the eggs on the stove; running a spoon along the pan's bottom, Jaune stirred them around. They were a perfect consistency - not too well-done, just a little runny, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Amazing how such a mouth-watering dish could be whipped up in minutes with only one simple ingredient. Simultaneously, the bacon in the sister pan had shrunk and crinkled, grease popping out, signaling completion.

Jaune set a pair of plates on the counter, spooning half the eggs onto each and place two strips of bacon along with them. Next came the coffee; Jaune personally took his with just cream, but he knew about Ruby's thoughts on the drink. He fulled her mug three-quarters of the way full, leaving room for unholy amounts of both cream and sugar. When the concoction was finished, it had a consistency similar to melted ice cream than any kind of beverage.

It was then that Ruby strutted from the bedroom door. Her dark hair was damp, combed to fall around her face in that familiar, adorable style. Once again, she had raided his closet, garbed in one of his t-shirts and athletic shorts. The shirt didn't hang loosely like the one last night; instead, it was pulled to her frame by way of a hair-tie holding a bunched up wad of the excess shirt at her waist.

The small woman closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the scents wafting around the apartment. If the satisfied hum and the smile she gave was any indicator, she liked what she smelled. Ruby sashayed around the counter and peered around his arm at the plates full of food.

She wrapped an arm around him with a content nod and said, "Amazing in bed, _and_ he can cook?" She poked a finger into his cheek. "It's official, I'm keeping you."

Jaune smiled as he handed her a plate and led her into the living area. "Well, I'm just the luckiest guy in the world, then, aren't I?" His tone was jovial and jesting in nature, but his words were dead serious. He really did think Ruby was the best thing to ever happen to him.

They each flopped onto their own side of the couch, already digging into the hearty meal he'd prepared. They sat in silence, both too preoccupied to start up any kind of conversation. Jaune didn't want the moment to end. Sat beside the woman he loved more than ever before, not talking, just enjoying each other's company.

Yes, this was indeed where he was meant to wind up.

When the silence was finally broken, it was Ruby's doing. "H-hey, Jaune...?" Her playful, flirty tone had shifted to something altogether different. Shock, disbelief, mixed with a little fear hung on the two words that fell from her lips.

"Hmm?"

Jaune looked up from his breakfast. Ruby's skin was pale - more so than usual - like she was sick, her eyes were wide, her gaze locked at something on the table.

His blood froze when he saw what it was.

It was such a small thing to induce so much horror at its very sight - a dark purple box, highlighted with various other colors, a little bigger than Jaune's fist. Standing like a monument to his stupidity atop the coffee table, was the box of condoms. Unopened, completely ignored and forgotten in a storm of emotions and hormones.

Ruby Rose screamed.

Jaune Arc screamed louder.

How had he forgotten? He had gone out last night, suffered through the horrible embarrassment of buying them, how in the world had the prophylactics gone unused?

"Everything was going so fast, I..." Jaune frantically tried to figure it all out, both Ruby's and his own sake. "I completely forgot about them, even after all the trouble I went to!"

Ruby was hyperventilating by this point. "I did too!" Tears were welling in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any second. She grabbed hold of his bare shoulders, her nails scraped against his skin, but the pain went ignored. "Oh my god, Jaune, what are we gonna do?!"

She stared at him, silver eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. How was he supposed to answer that? Jaune could plan his way out of a losing battle in a heartbeat, but that was combat. Never in his life had he been in a situation like this. All he could think of was how much he wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

"I...I've got no idea," he stuttered between bouts of despairingly shaking his head. "I don't know... What can we do?"

Ruby fell forward, catching her head in her hands. She was trembling. "What do we do, Jaune," she repeated, "I can't handle _this_. I'm not ready to have a baby! I'm eighteen, for _fuck's sake_!" Jaune had never heard Ruby swear before, ever, but honestly, she could have stabbed a kitten and danced in its blood-fountain, he would have chalked it up to stress relief.

"Oh my god," she was crying now. "Dad's gonna kill me."

Jaune's heart stopped. He hadn't even thought of that fact. What was he supposed to tell his family? They didn't know he and Ruby were dating yet. The same went for her family. The only difference being that everywhere you looked in Ruby's family tree, it was huntsmen as far as the eye could see. Taiyang, Qrow, Yang, hell, even Zwei; all terrifying, deadly, and fiercely loyal to each other. Yeah, any hope he had of living with his skin attached much longer died right then. That ship had sailed, wrecked, sank to the bottom of the ocean, and was now food for a new coral reef.

They were both buried in more trouble than they could handle. Jaune had done his fair share of stupid things in his life, but none was as drastic as this. Maybe he'd end up with a broken arm or a telling off from his mother, but he always came out okay, for the most part. This time though, this time, the consequences were real. Two, nay, _three_ people's lives were affected by one idiotic decision on his part.

Jaune said the only thing he could think to say, "I'm sorry." His voice was weaker than he anticipated, the words coming out more like a faint squeak than anything comprehensible. He tried again, "I'm so sorry, Ruby."

He expected her to break down into sobs, lash out in anger, scream, cry, _anything_ that would have counted as a logical response. But nothing came. Ruby didn't speak; the only motion she made was to wrap her arms about her stomach, where it was highly likely Jaune's child was now growing. If not for the way she lightly spasmed with every breath, he would have thought time stopped. She didn't acknowledge his words, their intent, or his very presence, she just... sat there, eyes closed, face expressionless.

It hurt more than he wanted to admit - more than any harsh words or angry blow. Jaune was not afraid he'd lost Ruby, he wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to see him again. No. He was terrified he'd broken her. Never before had he seen her like this... catatonic. She was always so vibrant and full of life, even when she was heartbroken. Jaune had never seen her just shut down before.

He sat next to her for what felt like hours. In truth, he neither knew nor cared how long it was. The only reason he stood up to leave was that he couldn't bear to look at Ruby any longer. Every time he saw her death-like trance, it killed him a little on the inside.

He shambled into his room in a haze, dug a pair of jeans out of a drawer, and grabbed the first shirt he could find. Once he had it pulled over his head, he realized that it was the same one Ruby had borrowed the previous night - the one she had taunted and teased him with before discarding it to drape over his nightstand. It still bore a faint trace of her scent on it - the last vestige of the perfume she'd worn on their date. The thought of keeping it on brought a wince to his face, but he felt too diminished to pull it back off again.

Jaune brushed his teeth with a dead look about his face, staring himself down all the while. He was an idiot, plain and simple. There was no other way of looking at it. All his life, Jaune Arc made rash, impulsive decisions based on however he felt at the time, and they usually had a habit of blowing up in his face. When he'd stolen his family's ancestral blade and run off to Beacon, it never once crossed his mind that he might not have been ready for such a life. When Ruby presented him with the option of taking her in, becoming one with her, in a way, of course, he took it.

And the condoms he'd went out of his way to acquire, they just so happened to conveniently slip his mind in the process.

Returning to the living area, he found that Ruby hadn't left the couch, just shifted to lie on her back, staring up at the ceiling. As he gingerly stepped in, she lifted her legs up, prompting Jaune to sit as well. A quick sigh escaped him as a thought ran through his head; she didn't hate him, not obviously anyway. As he lowered into the couch cushions, Ruby laid her legs back across his lap, effectively delegating him to be a footstool. Jaune placed a hand gently on her knee - an unconscious action, but one that somehow brought a little bit of comfort to them both.

He looked over her; the shocked expression had faded slightly, replaced with morose acceptance as silver eyes traced invisible patterns on the ceiling. Ruby's slender fingers were woven together and resting on her stomach. Jaune wondered if, now that the possibility had presented itself, she could _feel_ anything inside her. Had the situation been planned, he imagined they would be jumping for joy at the chance of the pregnancy taking. However, it was a daunting concept, one that terrified him to no end.

The silence was deafening, but he wasn't sure he had anything worthwhile to break it with. "I... uh," he wavered but was stopped by Ruby's raised hand.

"I don't wanna hear you say sorry again," her voice was frail and creaked like she was on the verge of a breakdown.

"But I," he protested.

Ruby looked him in the eye, those mirrored pools of mercury pierced his very soul. "But nothing! It's not just your fault." She sighed, the hand that silenced him coming to rest on her forehead. "I got caught up in all the... _stuff_ too."

Jaune wanted to object - to say that it _was_ all his fault and accept her ire. But try as he might, in his mind, he couldn't deny that she had been just as eager to proceed as he.

"Throwing blame around won't solve anything, though," she said evenly. "We gotta face this, head-on."

Jaune almost scoffed. The way she said it sounded so simple. Like if they only acknowledged the problem, it would be any easier to deal with. This wasn't some new kind of Grimm they could beat into submission, it was a dreadful and imposing situation that would affect the rest of their lives.

"You might be pregnant, Ruby," Jaune spoke slowly, not trusting himself to not break off into a frantic tirade. "You said it yourself: we're not ready for that kind of thing."

"We weren't ready for Salem, either." Said it no nonchalantly. It was true, the immortal witch coming after them with the full force of the Grimm should have made the prospect of a baby look like nothing, but Jaune couldn't really see how that was any worse than where they were now. "And there's no way to know for sure right now. Not until I take a test, and I can't do that until I miss my... umm... _that time of the month_."

Jaune leaned his head back into the cushions, a slight flush coming to his face at the thought of Ruby's period. That was just fantastic. Not only did he have to deal with mind-numbing guilt and fear, but there was also no way of dispelling or proving it yet. "In that case," he sighed, "what do we do in the meantime?"

"Well," Ruby looked off into the distance, as though searching for the answer. "I think whether I am or not, we need to tell people about us."

"But we..." Jaune had to stop himself. They _had_ agreed to keep their relationship a secret from friends and family to avoid all the drama. Ruby didn't want him to go through the torment of being threatened by Taiyang, Yang, and Qrow. Jaune wanted to spare Ruby the swarm that was his mother and sisters. They'd had a feeling their teams could be trusted to keep it quiet, but it would be difficult to hide the truth from some people and not others. Jaune always wanted to bring a girl home and introduce her to his family, but he wanted to find out if they were compatible first. It couldn't last forever; in fact, neither wanted it to. One way or another, the truth would come out, he'd rather be on top of it when it did.

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "So we come out about 'us.' Then what? Do we tell people about _this_ too?"

There was a genuine possibility for some nasty fallout if news of the pregnancy got out. Jaune's own family would be thrilled to find out he might be a dad. His mom always talked about how much she wanted grandbabies, and Adrian was already the apple of her eye. Might as well give him a cousin. On the other hand, even if they weren't as homicidally protective of her as they let on, Jaune had a feeling Ruby's family wouldn't take the news of a sudden, accidental child lightly.

Ruby sat up, pulled her knees up to her chin, and looked him in the eye. Her gaze betrayed feelings of uncertainty, a little fear, and resigned acceptance. "I think we have to," she said softly. "In fact, it's gonna come out eventually, might as well get it all out at the same time."

He supposed it made sense. Like ripping off a bandage, it was better to get it all over with quick.

"We could wait a while," he suggested. At Ruby's raised brow, he went on quickly. "What I mean is, if we're going to let both Blakes out of the bag, wouldn't it make sense to wait until we knew if it's sticking for sure?"

Ruby pondered for a second, her brow furrowing. "I guess so," she said after a moment of silence. "In that case, we'd be waiting for about a week."

Jaune's heart wouldn't slow down. Even though they were utterly safe where they were, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was in danger, or that the room's peace was balanced on a pinhead. Just thinking about giving the news to anyone was enough to have his pulse racing.

"So, we wait," he stated, standing up from the couch and pulling her up with him. "Take the test, then we tell everyone about us, and, if you're positive, about the baby." It sounded so simple when put that way, but so much rode on how people would take it. Ruby wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head on his chest. He felt her heartbeat, just as frantic and out of control as his own.

"Yep," she nodded. "It's just that simple."

Jaune chuckled. He tightened his arms around her, he softness calming his nerves slightly. The pair began to rock back and forth in their embrace, swaying to some silent melody. The hug, chaste as it was, did more to reassure Jaune he'd made the right choice in saying yes the night before than anything that happened in that bed. They held each other, the warmth from their bodies soothing and reminding him that it would work out.

It always did.

They had seen worse than this, and although they'd come across some hard times, they invariably made it through.

All Jaune had to do was hold on to Ruby, and trust that she'd never let go of him.


End file.
